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Image courtesy of Belvoir website.
y separately published work icon Mortido single work   drama   crime  
Issue Details: First known date: 2015... 2015 Mortido
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'Mortido is a crime drama, revenge tragedy and morality play rolled into one. In other words, a quintessential Sydney tale.

'It begins with a Mexican fable about death and ends in the Western suburbs. In between it takes in the public housing on Belvoir Street, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, quinoa, Nazi Germany, Qantas, Coca-Cola, a seventh birthday party, the Surry Hills police, the property market and a body in the harbour. The connective tissue? Cocaine.

'Jimmy is a small-time dealer and Monte is a biggish-time distributor. Grubbe is a detective. They all want the same thing: to live out their lives in leisure. And a water view would be nice. But for Jimmy and Monte to win, Grubbe has to lose. Same goes the other way.

'Angela Betzien is a virtuoso playwright who writes a funny line as well as she writes a thrilling plot and a furious social critique. Mortido is her most ambitious play so far, and a brilliant portrait of the emerald city: familiar, bizarre, glorious and mean.

'Colin Friels and director Leticia Cáceres (Miss Julie, The Dark Room) team up for this remarkable new play about crime, globalisation and the killer desire for a bigger house.' (Publication summary)

Production Details

  • A co-commission with Playwriting Australia.

    Co-production by Belvoir Street Theatre and State Theatre Company of South Australia.

    Produced at State Theatre Company of South Australia 16 - 31 October 2015.

    Produced at Belvoir Upstairs Theatre 7 November - 23 December 2015.

    Cast: Tom Conroy and Colin Friels.

    Director: Leticia Cáceres.

    Lighting Designer: Geoff Cobham.

    Dramaturg: Anthea Williams.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 2015
    • Strawberry Hills, Inner Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales,: Currency Press , 2015 .
      image of person or book cover 7467536018292533254.jpg
      Image courtesy of publisher's website.
      Extent: 91p.
      ISBN: 9781925005493
      Series: Current Theatre Series Currency Press (publisher), 1983- series - publisher 'Current Theatre Series consists of Australian plays published with the program inserted and sold during theatre seasons. The aim of the series is to promote and encourage new dramatic writing and make it accessible to theatregoers and the public. The text is presented at the first day of rehearsal and does not contain changes which the author may choose to make after the play has commenced its present season - these will be incorporated into any new edition published by Currency.' Currency Press.

Works about this Work

Friels in Welcome Return to the Stage Tim Lloyd , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 22 October 2015; (p. 17)

— Review of Mortido Angela Betzien , 2015 single work drama
Friels Making a Play for Adelaide Louise Nunn , 2015 single work column
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 15 October 2015; (p. 30)
Friels Dominates Gripping Drama about Sydney’s Cocaine Trade Jason Blake , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 13 November 2015;

— Review of Mortido Angela Betzien , 2015 single work drama
Belvoir Braces for Flak Over Children in Drama Elissa Blake , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 12 November 2015; (p. 30)

— Review of Mortido Angela Betzien , 2015 single work drama
A Touch of Beauty among the Bad Elissa Blake , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Sun-Herald , 8 November 2015; (p. 5)

— Review of Mortido Angela Betzien , 2015 single work drama
Confronting Examination of Death and Drugs Murray Bramwell , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Australian , 22 October 2015; (p. 15)

— Review of Mortido Angela Betzien , 2015 single work drama
A Touch of Beauty among the Bad Elissa Blake , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Sun-Herald , 8 November 2015; (p. 5)

— Review of Mortido Angela Betzien , 2015 single work drama
Belvoir Braces for Flak Over Children in Drama Elissa Blake , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 12 November 2015; (p. 30)

— Review of Mortido Angela Betzien , 2015 single work drama
Friels Dominates Gripping Drama about Sydney’s Cocaine Trade Jason Blake , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 13 November 2015;

— Review of Mortido Angela Betzien , 2015 single work drama
Friels in Welcome Return to the Stage Tim Lloyd , 2015 single work review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 22 October 2015; (p. 17)

— Review of Mortido Angela Betzien , 2015 single work drama
Adelaide Theatre Return for Star Patrick McDonald , 2014 single work column
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 23 September 2014; (p. 17)
Friels Making a Play for Adelaide Louise Nunn , 2015 single work column
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 15 October 2015; (p. 30)
Last amended 4 Dec 2018 15:49:15
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